Jalen Brunson is again taking a financial hit selflessly. It happened once before, when he took $113 million less guaranteed to keep the New York Knicks stable. This time, the decision is not related to his franchise but for his idol, Kobe Bryant.

“The discussions recently has been if Jalen [Brunson] would have his own signature shoe with Nike,” said freelance sneaker photographer Riccardo Mestre, that Brunson prefers wearing Kobe Bryant’s shoes. “And internally, the discussions have gone on, and it’s gotten to a point now where Jalen’s pretty much said, ‘I refuse. I don’t want a signature. Just let me wear Kobe’s for the rest of my career, and I’ll be good.'”

The respect and love for Kobe Bryant go beyond any contract or potential royalty money from Nike. His loyalty to the Nike Kobe line stretches back to high school, where every step carried the imprint of Mamba mentality.

A decade ago, the Knicks’ superstar met Kobe on Christmas 2014 as a high school player and received Nike Kobe 9 Elite “Christmas” shoes. Over the years, he laced up player-exclusive colorways that kept the legend alive on hardwood floors. Just three days ago, Brunson revealed the Kobe 3 Low Protro PE “Arancia”, which was not available for retail. But the available shoes sold out instantly.

Nike Kobe 6 Protro collaboration with New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson vanished within minutes of its 10 a.m. EST release. The exclusive sneaker, which retailed for $200, is already commanding prices exceeding $1,000 on secondary markets. Even the sneaker community has largely agreed with Brunson’s decision.

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Yes, it reduces his potential earnings. Take Zion Williamson’s signature shoe deal, for example. The then-Pelicans rookie signed a seven-year, $75 million deal in 2019 with the Jordan Brand, which made it the richest annual rookie shoe deal in NBA history. While there is a financial implication, Brunson has never relied on those contracts to dictate his decisions.

Kobe Bryant’s sneakers continue to dominate the league

There are more than 20 current NBA players with active signature sneaker lines, and most don’t have a significant impact on the footwear industry. In the meantime, Nike’s Kobe line is at the top of the charts. It was #1 in December according to KixStatsCom. Players wore Kobe shoes for 23,319 minutes, beating the next best by a 4x margin. (Sabrina came #2 as NBA players preferred her signature line for 5968 minutes).

The picture doesn’t change when it comes to the top 10 Most Popular NBA Sneakers (2024-25 Season). Black Mamba’s Nike Kobe 6 Protro (most worn) and Nike Sabrina 2 were second. Nike Kobe 5 Protro, Nike Kobe 4 Protro, and Nike Kobe 11 Elite 8 were also in the top 10 last season.

So, Jalen Brunson’s apparent decision might shock some, but his thought process remains clear. In terms of talent and popularity, he can already release a signature shoe, but prefers to give a nod to Kobe Bryant.